Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-01-12

Lib BEAUTY 3 BUUDUlh
Eyes, Miss Weston was at home"
the page said; "but she was engaged.
She had told him, however, that if
anyone called" and the boy in the
buttons looked inquisitively at the
elderly lady. dressed with duaker-like
simplicity, whose knock had brought
him to the door, 'sMiss Weston had
said that ii anyone called she was to
wait"
''Yes, OF course we shall wait" cried
Herbert Torrens, who had stayed be-
hind to give some directions to the
driver OF the broughaln, and ran up
the steps in time to hear the last
word. "You will not object, will you,
mother? | should be sorry for you
TO miss seeing Linda this morning."
Mrs. Torrens readily assented TO
this. Not that she was at all eager
to make the acquaintance of the beau
tiful girl with whom her son had fallen
desperately in love.
But Herbert had entreated it as a
favor; although convinced in his own
mind that he had found the only wo-
man IN existence who could make
him happy, he wanted his mothers
sanction to their union, and could not
resolve to ask Linda Weston to be his
till he had obtained it.
Mrs. Torrens had so often said she
should like to see him we'll married,
that he was surprised and disappoint-
ed when she demurred at his Choice.
Yet when asked why, she could not
give an answer that sounded satisfac-
tory.
Sne had no doubt, she said, that
Miss Weston was as fair and charm
ing as he described her. Others had
sung the beauty's praises in her ears
as enthusiastically as her son.
And as good2 Well, Herbert must
have patience with her if she declined
to express an opinion on that point
until she knew the young lady
The only and motherless daughter
OF a rich man, who was reported to
have let her have her own way in
every whim and fancy, her nature
must be fine one indeed if it was rot
injured to some extent by such exces-
sive indulgence.
"Granted that Linda has been g.
spoiled child" argued the lover, "may
not her faults be merely such as she
will easily conquer as soon as they are
pointed out? When she has such a.
wise, kind friend at her elbow as you
will be, my dearest mother, she will
prove herself all that you or I can
wish. :"
If Mrs Torrens sighed, and mar
yelled that In three short weeks the
smiles OF a beauty should have cast
such g. glamour over her ordinarily
sensible son, she was too prudent to
tell him so.
He had begged her to come up to
town from her pleasant house on
Clifton Downs that he might introduce
her to Linda, and she had obeyed the
request SO promptly that she arrived
on the preceding evening and was
ready for the ordeal some hours be-
fore hiss Weston dreamed of her being
in London.
The page was ushering the visitors
to the drawing room, but as they
passed the half-open door of Miss
Weston's boudoir Herbert Torrens
halted there
Now, he secretly detested Mr.. Yves.
OOA . 1dISC, SdlOu,
gaudy with gliding and satin damask,
and dreaded the effect it would have
on the more refined tastes Of his
mother. Surely both she and Linda
would meet with more ease In the
cosier apartment where che young lady
spent her mornings, ard had on one
or two occasions received him.
''There is fire here" he said, hasti-
ly, 'and you are apt to be chilly,
mother. Miss Weston will not look
upon it as an intrusion"
Mrs. Torrens submitted to be led to
chair by the said fire, and her glance
slowly Travelled around the beauty's
boudoir.
The inspection was not g. salts
factory one. Dust corners, and a.
general air of untidiness, proved that
Miss Weston was not good house
keeper; in no well-ordered household
would such dirt and disorder have
been permitted to reign.
''Linda reads great DEAL" said
Herbert. "and not novels only; [ rec
commended Montaigne' IS Essays to her.
and she tells me she is delighted with
them"
The book certainly lay on the table,
but when Mrs. Torrens picked it up
she saw that the leaves were uncut.
However, she refrained from pointing
this out to her son, who was drawing
her attention to a piece of delicate
embroidery stretched in a frame.
"You see," he smilingly observed, as
he brought it forward for his mothers
inspection, "you see, Linda shares
your love of womanly occupations.
She tells me she is just completing
collar and cuffs of Honiton lace which
she proposes Offering to you; you'll
not refuse her gift, will your"
Mrs. Torrens was mute, for her keen
er observation had detected that the